HRIS Administrator, Payroll & Benefits

Thank you for your interest in the BWL. We think you'll find it a rewarding and nurturing place to grow your career.

Starting Salary Range: $96,400.00 - $117,600.00

Position Summary

The HRIS Administrator, Payroll & Benefits serves as a technical and functional subject matter expert (SME) for the organization’s Human Resources Information System (HRIS) platform, with primary responsibility for payroll, benefits, time, absence, and related workforce management functionality. This position partners closely with payroll, benefits, HR (human resources), finance, and other functional leaders and subject matter experts (SMEs) to translate business requirements into effective HRIS solutions.

The Administrator is responsible for system configuration, integration management, complex issue resolution, process improvement, testing, releases, and ongoing optimization of the HRIS. The HRIS Administrator, Payroll & Benefits develops broad knowledge of the HRIS platform and partners closely with the HRIS Administrator, HCM & Talent to provide comprehensive technical support across the HRIS ecosystem.

Essential Functions

• Serve as the primary technical and functional resource for payroll, benefits, time, absence, and related workforce management functionality and system issues.
• Configure, maintain, and optimize HRIS functionality within assigned areas of responsibilities, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, maintainable, and aligned with business requirements.
• Analyze business requirements and translate them into effective HRIS solutions that appropriately balance business needs, regulatory and compliance requirements, user experience, system capabilities, security, data integrity, and long-term maintainability.
• Design, configure, test implement, and support system changes and enhancements affecting payroll, benefits, time, absence, and related HR processes.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of payroll, benefits, timekeeping, absence, employee lifecycle, and related workforce processes to ensure system configurations appropriately support business requirements.
• Own and coordinate HRIS integrations supporting payroll, benefits, time, absence, finance, and other related HR processes.
• Partner with IT, vendors, functional SMEs, and technical resources to ensure reliable, secure, and accurate data flow.
• Lead integration requirements gathering, solution design, impact assessments, configuring, testing, troubleshooting, issue resolution, deployment, and ongoing support within areas of responsibility.
• Monitor integration performance, data flows, and transaction results; investigate failures, errors, and data discrepancies; identify root causes; and coordinate timely corrective actions with technical teams, vendors, and functional stakeholders.
• Investigate, diagnose, and resolve complex system issues by analyzing configuration, business processes, security, data, calculations, integrations, and system behavior; identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Partner with the HRIS Administrator, HCM & Talent to assess cross-functional impacts of system changes and support integrations affecting the broader HRIS ecosystem.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, increase automation, improve data quality, enhance the user experience, reduce operational risk, and leverage new HRIS and integration capabilities.
• Lead and participate in HRIS releases, projects, enhancements, implementations, upgrades, and integrations, including requirements gathering, impact analysis, solution design, configuration, testing, validation, issue resolution, documentation, and deployment.
• Maintain data quality and integrity through system audits, reconciliations, reporting, data cleanup, integration monitoring, and collaboration with stakeholders throughout the organization.
• Establish and maintain integration standards, configuration standards, change controls, testing practices, documentation, and system governance in partnership with the HRIS Administrator, HCM & Talent and IT.
• Develop and maintain technical and functional documentation, including integration specifications, configuration documentation, business process documentation, testing materials, procedures, troubleshooting guides, and knowledge articles.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching, training, and knowledge transfer to functional SMEs, Payroll, Benefits, HR users, and other stakeholders to promote effective and consistent use of HRIS capabilities.
• Manage and coordinate vendor activities related to system issues, enhancements, implementations, and integrations.
• Participate in HRIS community forums and user groups to share knowledge and learn from other professionals.
• Expected to comply with all BWL policies and work rules.
• Predictable and reliable attendance.
• Other duties as assigned by manager.
  
  

Required

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources management, computer science, information systems, business administration, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five (5) years of experience administering, supporting, configuring, or optimizing HR information systems, including experience with system configuration, troubleshooting, testing, and production support.
• Demonstrated experience configuring and maintaining HRIS business processes, preferably within Workday.
• Demonstrated proficiency supporting, configuring, and/or administering two or more of the following Workday modules: Payroll, Benefits, Time Tracking, and/or Absence.
• Experience managing or supporting HRIS testing, releases, enhancements, implementations, upgrades, or integrations.
• Demonstrated understanding of payroll, benefits, time absence, and related HR workforce processes.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on data accuracy and integrity.
• Experience with report writing and data analysis using Workday reporting tools.
• HRIS vendor certification. If certification is not active/current at the time of placement, the incumbent must obtain the required certification within eighteen (18) months of the start date.
  
  

Preferred

• Active Workday certification in one or more modules.
• Experience in supporting Workday integrations with other systems (EIB, Core Connectors, etc.).
• Familiarity with project management methodologies, tools and practices.
  
  

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Must be able to remain in a stationary position for the majority of the working day. The person in this position needs to move about inside the office environment. Constantly operates a computer and other office equipment. Ability to adjust focus, especially due to concentration on a computer screen. Must communicate frequently with other departments and employees both verbally and in writing. May need to lift and carry up to 30 pounds and/or position the body to reach items on the floor/ below the knee level, or reach above head. On occasion, may need to use stairs.

Constantly works in a temperature-controlled office environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills that may be required of the employee. Management reserves the right to add, remove, or otherwise alter these duties, responsibilities, and skills at any time.

Why Should You Apply?

Competitive wages, employee development, and opportunity for professional growth.

Robust time off benefits including vacation, free choice, sick leave, parental leave and 11 paid holidays.

Comprehensive benefits package offered including medical, prescription, dental, life insurance, long-term disability, employee assistance program.

Voluntary benefits including vision, supplemental and dependent life insurance, flexible spending, AFLAC options, LifeLock anti-theft, long term care, tuition reimbursement, and BWL's Home Purchase Plan – Forgivable $5,000 loan for purchase of a home in Lansing.

Retirement programs including 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan (DC) (100% company paid up to 9.5 % of base salary for BU positions and up to 13% of base salary for NBU positions), 457 Deferred Compensation matches up to $2,500 per year.

Post retirement benefits offered at the respective level of coverage, co-pays and health care premium, at the same level as active employees.

Two fitness centers located on site open 24/7, work life balance program, employee assistance program, free parking and much more!

About BWL

The Board of Water & Light serves Lansing, Michigan, and surrounding areas with electricity, water, and steam. Lansing's city charter vests the BWL with full and exclusive management of water, steam, and electric services for or the city. The American Public Power Association has honored the Lansing Board of Water & Light as one of the country's best publicly-owned utilities.

The Location:

Lansing lies at the heart of the Great Lakes State and offers all the beauty and splendor of the four seasons. A haven for swimming, boating, fishing, snowmobiling, golf, and hunting, mid-Michigan is also just a couple hours from premier skiing and one of the most beautiful freshwater lakeshores in the world on our Lake Michigan Coast. Lansing itself is only minutes and miles away from two of the nation’s premier universities, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, and boasts miles of walking, running, biking trails, Potter Park Zoo, professional sports, the arts, and fine dining.

THE BOARD OF WATER & LIGHT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER